Isabella Longo
Pronouns: she/her
Research Mentor(s): Raquel Garcia
Research Mentor School/College/Department: Southwest Detroit Environmental Vision / NonUM
Program: UROPF
Session: Session 7 (4:40pm – 5:30pm)
Authors:
Abstract
For my project, I partnered with Southwest Detroit Environmental Vision (SDEV). SDEV’s goal is to improve the environment in their area by mitigating the harmful effects businesses have on the community of Southwest Detroit. They do this through several projects that partner with businesses to help integrate sustainability into their culture. Specifically, I am assisting on the Clean Diesel Project. This initiative offers stipends to local businesses in exchange for replacing their harmful diesel trucks with trucks that run off environmentally friendly fuel. This project began because of the horrendous effect that diesel emissions were having on the local community. The windows of residents’ homes were often covered in a black smudge and air quality was well below the state average. Therefore, getting these diesel trucks off the road was not only important for the environment but for the residents’ quality of life. The Clean Diesel Project has been successful in removing several trucks from these neighborhood roads and retiring them for good. My job on this team is to quantify the effects of the project. Therefore, I am responsible for tracking all old trucks and their emissions and then comparing them with the new trucks and the emissions that it releases. By gathering data on how much truck mileage, fuel, and emissions differ between the old and new trucks we can quantitatively show the difference this project is making. Thereby helping us receive the donor support necessary to continue this project.
